Musings

You Can’t Buy Publicity this Bad

The Boston Globe reports that the RIAA has dropped its lawsuit against Sarah Seabury Ward, a 66 year old sculptress whom they had accused of sharing 2000 songs on Kazaa. Trouble was that:

1. She’s a self-professed computer neophyte, who’d never installed any file-sharing software on her computer.
2. She seems a rather unlikely aficionado of gangsta rap (among the music she was specifically accused of having traded).
3. Her computer is a Macintosh. So, even if she knew how, and even if she’d wanted to, she couldn’t have shared those songs on Kazaa, which is Windows-only.

You’d think that, after such an obvious screw-up, the RIAA would be gracious, apologize to Mrs. Ward, offer to pay her legal expenses, and give her a gift-certificate to Tower Records. You’d think that, but you’d be wrong.

“Please note, however, that we will continue our review of the issues you raised and we reserve the right to refile the complaint against Mrs. Ward if and when circumstances warrant.”

was what their Law Firm wrote to her lawyer, in agreeing to drop their suit.

One of the signs of Depression is that the individual no longer cares about “keeping up appearances.” The RIAA’s rhetoric may still be that of an aggrieved party seeking redress for injuries sustained. Their body language say differently.